Press Statement of Special Representative Grau after regular Meeting of Trilateral Contact Group on 8 April 2020

KYIV, 9 April 2020 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group, Ambassador Heidi Grau, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG ‎and its working groups:

“Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the regular meetings of the Trilateral Contact Group and its Working Groups were held through video conferencing from 6 to 8 April 2020.

The Humanitarian Working Group focused its debates on the exchange of detainees. The sides agreed in principle on the next phase of the exchange with a view to its completion in the near future. Aspects of the opening of new entry-exit crossing points on the line of contact in the Luhansk region were further discussed.

The Security Working Group paid major attention to the identification of additional disengagement areas of forces and hardware. Yet, further efforts are still needed to come to a decision on this issue.

In the discussion on mine action, the demining of civilian facilities and their surroundings was prioritized. In this regard, emphasis was made on the need for timely mine clearance of entry-exit crossing points and adjacent areas in the period before the future lifting the ongoing restrictions on crossing the line of contact.

The Economic Working Group discussed the question of economic relations across the line of contact. The discussion also touched upon pressing environmental issues and currenyt issues of water supplies to certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (CADR and CALR).

The Political Working Group discussed aspects related to the special status of CADR and CALR, as foreseen by the Minsk Agreements”.